KAKAMEGA FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAMME LAUNCHED

The Governor of Kakamega County H.E. Hon. FCPA Fernandes Barasa has launched an ambitious programme to restore the only standing Tropical rain Forest in Kenya, the Kakamega Forest. Governor Barasa Friday joined key stakeholders on a tree planting exercise at Kakamega Forest Service Grounds aimed at rehabilitating critically degraded sites of the forest.

In his speech, the Governor thanked the local community for embracing the initiative noting that they are important stakeholders in the efforts to ensure the forest is packaged as a major tourist destination.

He advised the residents to inculcate the culture of tree growing into the young generation to achieve the goal of increasing and maintaining the national tree cover to at least 10% by 2022.

“I am happy to announce that plans to fence the forest are in top gear. In collaboration with various partners, we will mobilize resources and bring other stakeholders together with a common agenda of pooling resources together to support fencing of 117km of the Kakamega forest ecosystem,” the Governor said.

Earlier H.E the Governor launched the County Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) furniture programme to improve participation and provide conducive learning environment for ECDE learners. The furniture was distributed to ECDE centers across the twelve Sub-Counties of Kakamega.